Letter 5 - The Plague

Hola Familia!!!!!

 

So, I want to start my letter off with something hilarious that Presidente Cox said "Bad news... your son is dead. Good news... He is coming home!" haha One of our Elders got sick and missed the meeting that we have at the Cox's house on Sunday night. We all thought that was hilarious... but, then gradually everyone started to get really sick. On Monday night I was the only one left in my District! It was me and my teacher!!! Everyone was getting this really bad flu! The flu was only effecting the north americans! It must have been something that the Latinos were immune to. I switched rooms with a girl from the other district- because we were the only two that weren't sick! When we were in the room- at about midnight- an earthquake hit!!!! It was so crazy! I've never felt anything like that before! It didn't last very long- but, our beds were shaking like crazy!!! At about 2:30- I woke up with the WORST stomach ache I've ever had in my entire life!!! I went to the bathroom and had the worst diareha EVER!!! I had the plague that was going around!!!!! Everyone here had this diareha that was like a fire hydrant!!! It was coming like a waterfall!!! It was making everyone super dehydrated!!!! Then I totally threwup! I was in bed ALL day Tuesday!!! Hermana Crouch and I were the only ones sick on Tuesday in bed- everyone else was over the worst of it! Hermana Burbidge- the nurse- nursed us back to health! I kept imagining she was you mom!!! I missed you so much!!!! The other district (The other missionaries that I flew here with) made me a sweet feel better card! Elder Orr- my zone leader- left the nicest comment with this scripture: Mosiah 24:14- it fit perfectly! I got a blessing Tuesday morning around 6am. Elder Turley gave me the blessing! I felt the Spirit so strong! He blessed me that I would be completely healed before I leave the CCM! I'm feeling a lot better today! My stomach is just moving around quite a bit! The Temple was beautiful this morning!!! ooh! 21 out of the 26 north americans here got the flu that was going around- SO CRAZY!!!!! haha Hermana Marcheschi (She is the one I'm in the photo with) compared that diareha to the song Don't go chasing waterfalls... she sung "Don't go pooping waterfalls!" haha it was so true! Even Presidente Cox was talking about how that was the most terrible thing! On Tuesday night- it was me, Elder Williamson, and Elder Borlace left- and then they decided they were sick and needed to leave- so, before they left- Elder Borlace said we should pray as a district even though it was just the three of us- so we all knelt down- and Elder Borlace offered the prayer. In the middle of his prayer he said "And Please Bless Hermana Bullough. Please help her to know that Heavenly Father has sent her hear for a reason and that she will be able to learn Spanish and that she will be a great missionary and bless the lives of many people." I started to cry really hard during that part and when the prayer was finished- Elder Borlace told me that the Spirit wanted him to say that. It was so sweet! I love my district a lot. We really are one big family! Our Elders treat the girls in our district like princesses.When I got that blessing on Tuesday morning- my Elders were mad because Elder Turley wasn;t in our District and they wanted to give us our blessings. It was so cute! I survived an earthquake and the plague all in one day!!! Whoa!!! On Easter- we got a special devotional from Elder Uchdorf! Broadcasted from the Provo MTC! He talked about Peter and how after he denied Christ- he repented and then worked the rest of his life preaching the Gospel and being fearless! You know- I would totally suggest reading the New Testament- all of the Apostles relate things to it all of the time! I have a strong testimony that The Book of Mormon and the Bible really do create the fullness of the gospel! I'm in John now and I'm loving it!! I want to be the fearless kind of missionary! I want to be bold- but, with love! This message that I have as a representative of Jesus Christ is literally the MOST important thing in the entire world!!!! We need to be valient and share the gospel with everyone! The spirit will direct our path! We don't want to be giving halfhearted attempts! We want to be 24 hour missionaries and work our hardest! President Uchdorf talked about how we celebrate Easter every single sunday. I thought that was an interesting thought and I had never thought about that before! But, it is so true! When President Uchdorf ended his talk with his testimony- he said "He lives. I know Him. and He lives." How cool is that! I want to know my Savior like that! Time at the CCM flies by!!! I leave in one week from today! I'll have to join the other district- because all of the sisters in my district are going to the East mission. I love my companion so much! I'm really going to miss her a lot! I was so nervous this past week- because she was the sickest north american! I walked into our room to check on her a few times- and I walked in and she was lying on the floor... you have to be pretty miserable to lay down on these floors! I felt so bad! Everyone here has such strong testimonies! I love everyone so much! I;m starting a list of all of the qualities I want to take from them! Between Jeremias and Malequias (Our Districts- mine is Jeremias) Hermana Mckee I want to be strong and learn to endure like she can- she has gone through so much in her life and on the mission and she still stands strong! Hermana Flewallen I want to be hilarious and spiritual all at the same time! She can be really funny one second- and then bring the spirit in so powerfully! She will be a fantastic missionary. Hermana Crouch I want to be as spiritual as she is! She can relate everything to the Gospel. She really gets it. Her love for her family and Heavenly Father is astounding! Elder Wright I want to be as humble as he is! It took him a lot to get out on his mission- and yet he did it! He humbled himself and got his life taken care of! He has a powerful testimony! Elder Orr- I want to be able to pray like Elder Orr can- in the Temple today- we sat in the Celestial room from probably 30 minutes! and he prayed the ENTIRE time. He has a really strong testimony and he knows the scriptures really well!! Elder Meyers I want to care as much as he does. When I was really sick- I tried to come down for the last bit of class- and he said Hermana Bullough! Are you okay? and when I responded with no- he said "You will be- I've been praying for you!" Elder Borlace- I want to care like he does too! He said he prayed for the sisters in our district for a half an hour last night! Whoa! Elder Williamson- he is great! He has a powerful testimony and really knows how to lead people! He does it in a loving way though! and that is really special! Elder Hansen He is awesome! He is like Flewallen- he can be really funny and then really spiritual. Hermana Marcheschi aka my best friend, really knows how to love people. Her and I are the Sister Leader Trainers- and I have felt so much love from her! and when I was throwing up- she came in and held my hair back!!! It was so nice! I'm grateful she is going to the same mission as I am! Hermana Howard is the sweetest thing! She is so nice to EVERYONE! I really love that about her! Hermana Nield is extremely Christlike! She has every single one of the Christlike attributes in PMG! I love her! and lastly- Hermana Tolman- she is so knowlegable! It's only been 5 weeks and she speaks practically fluent spanish! I want all of these qualities! I have learned something from every single one of these people! I have really learned how to love here! I love being a missionary than anything else in the entire world! I know I have 17 months left... but, that makes me sad! I can't imagine taking this name badge of honor off in less than 17 months! I am so excited to go to Quetzaltenango next week! I'm ready! I know that this will be the biggest challenge of my life- but, it will be so worth it! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true. I know it. It is true. Please remember to set the example whereever you go. I know that Jesus Christ lives. He paid the price of sin so we don't have to. It is SO easy to get to the Celetial Kingdom... with His help. He made it that way. I love you guys so much! I pray for you all of the time!

Sellado Con Besos,

Hermana Natalie Paige Bullough